We stayed home a lot last week, so I really need to hit the grocery store for snacks and lunch food today.
I batch cooked a few things yesterday, so we have ready to go dinners for two nights this week, but additional meals for later weeks.
I’m trying hard to stick to our budget of $100/week for groceries and prepare dinners that are filling and hearty. It can be a struggle, but I shop sales, discount grocery stores, and use my cashback apps.
For those of you that are new to meal planning, I’ve got an easy 101 style post here with super easy tips and steps. After you get that down, here is info about batch or freezer cooking.
I’ve gotten a pretty good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge done (I try to update it after every shopping trip), so I’m able to plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste. If you are looking for a kitchen inventory printable, I like the kitchen inventories here. They are great printables.
I only post our dinner plans for the week, because our other meals are usually the same each day.
Breakfast: Coffee with 1/2 and 1/2 for me, and pancakes or something along those lines for the kids. The kids are nuts about pancakes. The Big Kid has been on a protein shake kick in the AM.
The kids go back to school tomorrow! 1/2 days for the littlest bit, and full days for the big dude. This afternoon I need to pop over to the store and pick up some lunch goodies. Big kid takes his lunch to school, but little bit has lunch at home after school.
Usually, I do a crockpot meal on Mondays, but now that we are home all the time, we’ve been having an odd combination of fully home-cooked, scratch meals, and frozen entrees and veggies. I have been posting our meal plans on Instagram too- As well as pics of stuff we are doing to keep busy.
- Sunday: Hot Beef Sandwiches and salad (I cooked the beef in the crockpot yesterday during my batch cooking day)
- Monday: Spaghetti Bolognese, steamed veggies, and garlic bread (I made the bolognese sauce yesterday during my batch cooking day)
- Tuesday: Frozen Entrees and salad
- Wednesday: Waffles and fruit salad
- Thursday: Chicken Satay, salad, rice
- Friday: Pizza Night!
- Saturday: Leftover Shenanigans
Please stay safe you guys! The sooner we flatten the curve, the sooner life can go back to normal- whatever that means.
Talk Back: What are you cooking for dinner this week?
I’ve written about the San Diego Food Bank’s Neighborhood Distributions before. It’s a great way to stretch your food budget on what is usually the most expensive part of any family grocery trip: Fresh Fruit and Vegetables.
2020 wasn’t the best year for side hustles. Like most of us, I spent most of 2020 at home. That means no secret shopping, no audits with Field Agent. I did a lot more surveys and online research studies in 2020.
If you are like me, you love to read. With our local library closed for the foreseeable future, I need some outlet to read. I can order books through the library online to pick up, but I don’t know what I want to read until I can read the back of the book or look at it.
Usually, I do a crockpot meal on Mondays, but now that we are home all the time, we’ve been having an odd combination of fully home-cooked, scratch meals, and frozen entrees and veggies. I have been posting our meal plans on
Hewes Family Fun 